Save Ferris

Is it possible to take a geeky adult with little interest in modern music and train them to appreciate a cooler repertoire?

Assume they have access to XM radio?

Im trying to help a friend but I dont exactly have the best taste in music either. How would you suggest someone go about learning to appreciate (and hold his own in conversations about) 'good music'?

The Bus

You can't train someone to like good music. You can, however, expose them to a wide variety of music they haven't heard of and slowly it will chip at the wall that's been created preventing them from trying new bands or groups.

digitalfreaknyc

What the hell is "good music?"

Save Ferris

I know its very subjective. I dont know what 'good music' is but basically I think what Im getting at is, can you develop good taste in music?

Or is it something you either learn at a young age or you're toast?

digitalfreaknyc

"Good taste" only matters to people who give a shit about other people's opinions.

Whatever the person likes is their own good taste and no one has the right to criticize or change it.

freudian-slip

Aside from the subjective nature of whatever "good" music is, sure! Just like anything else, one can develop a more sophisticated palate.

For instance, I discovered classical and jazz music as an adult. Beethoven is one of my favorite composers, though I couldn't really tell you why. I enjoyed his 6th symphony (pastorale). But then, I discovered that the 6th was about his recollections of country life, complete with a running brook, a party with friends and a quick afternoon thunderstorm. This greatly improved my appreciation and understanding of the work. Now, I engage it on a much different level. So, in my case, sure - a guy who had no understanding of classical music has in time gained a better understanding and I continue to learn. As I continue to learn, my appreciation grows. And society would probably call this better "taste" than my usual hard rock leanings.

But, then again, when my wife fires up her new Nick Lachey CD and his hit single "What's Left of Me" comes on, I find myself bopping my head and singing in on the chorus. I told her if she mentioned that to anyone I would deny it, though.

I've read that Barry Manilow's "Mandy" is considered to be one of the greatest songs ever written. I understand the bridge is still considered one of the best to date. So, I'm sure the more one knows about music structure, lyrics and the more trained one's ear is, the more one can appreciate all forms of "good music." There are bubble-gum pop songs that "work" and there are hard rock songs that "work," too.

I've been told that Jazz can require a trained ear to fully appreciate, but it can be learned.

What do you want to learn to appreciate and why?

Drexl

Don't forget the centaurs and rainbows.

digitalfreaknyc

ohhhh...is that what this thread is about? I still don't get it.

freudian-slip

Is that in the "giving thanks to the Diety for the storm" part? =)

freudian-slip

I'm not positive yet either.

Some additional information would be good. What is "good music" in his/her mind? What does he/she feel a need to be able to discuss? Structure? Music? Lyrics? History of the genre? How many tatoos someone has?

Save Ferris

well he wants to be able to have a wider appreciation of new music--my vibe: he wants to be able to mingle with girls. I have XM and suggested that but I dont know how to help beyond that. My own taste in music is stuck in the 80s and so I cant give any advice lol SO I guess thats why I brought it up here.

digitalfreaknyc

hmmm...but chances are that he'd find a girl that was right for him by being himself and not trying to know something else to "get girls."

I've never understood this.

freudian-slip

Yawn.

Well, if he just wants to discuss music with girls, then he probably won't be interested in the discipline it takes to develop an "ear" for what is considered "good" music (structure, complexity, tone, etc.)

Tell him to be himself. Enjoy what he truly enjoys and let girls be attracted to him and his tastes.

Otherwise, I guess he could just listen to "chick music" and the OC soundtrack. But that sounds painful to me.

freudian-slip

Amen.

Seacrest, out!

Save Ferris

lol you guys are harsh. I thought he could broaden his horizons and enjoy his journey exploring new music, isnt that a good way to meet people? Dont people start conversations discussing new music?

reverie

I agree.. wait.. yes you can... err.. it's all subjective...

Damn! Everything's covered as far as the topic goes!

I think for anyone, musical taste is an ever-evolving thing. The hard part is finding exposure to branch out. I used to go through bargain bins and pick up tapes of people I never heard of or looked interesting. I was only ever truly disappointed once. Plus, you can find an artist's influences or recommendations for people you do like.

But really.. it all comes down to what you like, and who cares what others think (I'm still hoping one day to finish off finding everything on cd I have on cassette by Air Supply ).

freudian-slip

Oh, okay, you have a point there.

Has he gone to www.pandora.com yet? They take music you already like and offer new suggestions based on those.

iTunes also is a good source for discovering music. Each week the new stuff is highlighted, and they have "essentials" selections, Celebrity Playlists and Staff Favorites. There's usually plenty of neat stuff there.

I discovered some of my new favorites on iTunes (Gord Gustavsen Trio, Stereophonics and Dion's new Blues album)

nodeerforamonth

If what you call "good music" is Beyonce, then "no", it is not possible.

Josh H

There's no such thing as good taste in music.

It's 100% subjective and another's trash is another's treasure and vice versa. And neither is wrong or right.

Filmmaker

Just lock him in a room for a month with U2's entire catalog and, wah-zow!, out walks a man who knows all he needs to know about great popular music.

Save Ferris

I remember in the early days of Napster, there was another music download site that did a good job of linking similar tastes and suggesting new ones (music galaxy?) it was like allmusic.com but free. Ive never heard of pandora, looks interesting.

Brent L

Eh, I don't think that's totally true. There are some songs and bands/artists that I just can't understand how anyone can actually sit there and say that it's technically "good".

A lot of people like a band like, say, Nickelback and that's perfectly fine, but it's just not good music as a whole. Not everyone cares though, not everyone really has an ear for music.

But anyone who does have an ear for music, and understands lyrics, structure, etc... can tell a good song from a boring cookie cutter corporate creation put together only to earn a buck. To me, good music tries to do something original.

A perfect example right now is the state of a lot of Country music. Most of what I hear on Country radio right now just sounds exactly the same. The same type of voice, the same musical sound, and on and on. Then again, it's like that in all genres really. I'm not a music snob, far from it, but anyone who really enjoys good music can tell that much of music radio is lazy these days, and has been for years now.

Josh H

Well, if you want to get into that music as art rather than entertainment crap, knock yourself out.

I leave that for the critics and elitist snobs.

To me it's just entertainment, just like movies, and thus 100% subjective.

I don't see how anyone can like Nickelback either, but I'm not going to say they have bad taste. Different strokes for differnt folks.

Filmmaker

I will.

(*proudly wraps himself up in his elitist cloak and grins*)

Hiro11

This makes more sense than trying to have "good taste". I would say use allmusic or pandora to identify artists similar to those you like and download a few samples from iTunes or whatever. Also, it sounds either weak or obvious, but buy a few albums that got good reviews or are considered classics in genres you haven't really heard much of but think you might like. Fore example, if you think you might like reggae, do a search on allmusic for classic releases and go buy a few of them. That's how I found Scratch Perry whose turned into one of my favorites.